Coefficient of Restitution

Definition, Explanation and Application

Faizan Ahmed (ME-301) Dynamics (ME-213)

 Coefficient of Restitution
DEFINITION
The coefficient of restitution is defined as the ratio of the final velocity to the initial
velocity between two objects after their collision. Another way of saying this is that
the coefficient of restitution is the ratio of the velocity components along the normal
plane of contact after and before the collision.

EXPLANATION
When two objects collide with each other, many forces come into play, which also
means the application of various mathematical equations. Many of these laws were
first derived by the same super popular scientist who is credited with numerous
discoveries and derivations, meaning that he has a number of patents to his name –
Sir Isaac Newton.

Pertaining to the collision of two objects, Newton formulated a theory that we now
know as Newton’s law of restitution. It simply states that when two bodies collide, the
speed with which they move after the collision depends on the material from which
they are made.

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 Coefficient of Restitution
Let’s suppose a rubber ball bounces on a flat, hard surface. Obviously, the rubber ball
will rebound off the surface, but with only a fraction of its original energy, because all
real collisions are inelastic. (Note: If this collision were elastic, then the ball would
have bounced back with the same amount of energy it had before striking the
surface.)

When you ‘deform’ something by colliding it with something else (say, when you
bounce a basketball on the ground), a fraction of its original energy is lost. That’s
why the basketball bounces lower with every collision – as its energy gets converted
to heat/vibrations.

In this case, you can think of the coefficient of restitution as an entity that tells you
how efficient the “bouncing” process is. The more efficient it is, the more ‘bouncy’ the
basketball shall be.

VALUES OF COEFFICIENT OF RESTITUTION

As mentioned earlier, the coefficient of restitution is a measure of how much kinetic
energy remains after the collision of two bodies. Its value ranges from 0 to 1. If it’s on
the higher side (i.e., close to 1), it suggests that very little kinetic energy is lost during
the collision; on the other hand, if the value is low, it indicates that a large amount of
kinetic energy is converted into heat or otherwise absorbed through deformation.

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 Coefficient of Restitution
APPLICATION
There are many practical applications of coefficient of restitution.

1. SPORTS
The coefficient of restitution can be used to
determine the speed of a ball after it collides
with the bat in a game of cricket. By
determining the kinetic energy of the ball after
being bowled and after it collides with the bat,
the speed of the ball can be determined.
Similarly, this can be done for other sports
such as basketball.

Several sports governing bodies regulate the bounciness of a ball through various
ways, some direct, some indirect.

• The International Basket Ball

Federation (FIBA) regulates the gauge pressure
so the basketball bounces between 1200 mm and
1400 mm (top of the ball) when it is dropped from
a height of 1800 mm (bottom of the ball). This
roughly corresponds to a COR of 0.727 to 0.806.

• The International Tennis Federation

(ITF) regulates the playing surface so
that the table tennis ball bounces
approximately 23 cm when dropped from
a height of 30 cm. This roughly
corresponds to a Coefficient of Restitution
of about 0.876 against the playing surface.

• The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St

Andrews (R&A)/United States Golf
Association (USGA) limits the Coefficient
of Restitution of the golf ball directly, which
should not exceed 0.83 against a golf club.

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 Coefficient of Restitution
2. INDUSTRY
The ratios of the average kinetic energies are used in collision testing for various
objects in industrial settings. This value can be used to study the nature of the objects
and determine their uses in various kinds of equipment that could be exposed to
collisions. For example, in car manufacturing industries it can be used to reduce the
impact of a collision on the body of a car to prevent too many injuries to the
passengers inside.

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